Zinnia
by Meruhen Wind
Summary: Hyuuga Hinata genuinely believes that all people are like flowers. A collection of oneshot character analysis pieces, all in Hinata's POV. [Chapter 14: Iruka]
1. Sunflowers: Naruhina

Author's Note: This came from (shrug). Well, I happen to like flowers and how they correspond with people's personalities is always interesting. I apologize if any other author's done this plot before, which I think is highly likely, seeing as it doesn't seem that unconventional.

I'm planning to have nine chapters and have Hinata describe all the males from the Chunnin Exams. Think of it as my wierd way of doing all possible heterosexual (that means STRAIGHT!) Hinata pairings. If you've got a specific pairing you want to read, please review and request it.

This chapter's Naruto x Hinata.

* * *

It was common knowledge that Hyuuga Hinata loved pressing flowers. She cultivated the best private garden in Konoha, to be sure. She loved flowers-not because they were pretty, nor because they were soft and meek like her, but for another reason. 

Hinata believed that the flowers she cultivated resembled the people in her life.

Her favorite flower? That would have to be the sunflower, which represented an oh-too-obvious figure. _Naruto_.

Naruto was a sunflower, bold and bright, golden glint standing out among all the other flowers in her garden. Out of a normal-sized seed, a sunflower grew, reaching up towards the sky, outgrowing all the other flowers to a height of over10 feet. That was Naruto, all right.

A sunflower, distinct and confident, always turned to face ahead-face the sun, unafraid of the surrounding shadows. A proud failure, just like Naruto, finding the sunshine no matter what.

But the sunflower also carried a curse.

In ancient mythology, Hinata knew, a maiden named Clytie once fell in love with the golden sun god Apollo. But the sun god wouldn't notice her, and so the maiden would do nothing but watch him perform his mission of traveling throughout the villages through the sky. After nine days spent just watching him, she was transformed into a flower.

She knew she should learn from the myth. After all, even though she did very little except watch Naruto, Naruto still wouldn't notice her.

But it was hard to look away from Naruto's bright smiles, his sheer determination, the hope he brought.

There was another reason why she liked sunflowers. One day, out of curiousity, she had asked Ino what a sunflower symbolized.

_They symbolized devotion_.

The kind of devotion Naruto had to become Hokage; the kind of devotion he had to always get back up; the kind of devotion he had to follow his own way of the ninja.

And the kind of devotion Hinata herself had in doing nothing but watch the sunflower grow.

* * *

Author's Note: Meh. I'm not that good at this pairing. But please review, if only to request which pairing I should include next, and which flower I should compare the person to (example, Naruto should be compared to a sunflower). If you have another flower Naruto should be compared to, that'd be pretty useful too, seeing as I don't like how this chapter turned out. And if you're too lazy to do either of those things, one-word reviews, both derogatory and complimentary, are completely accepted! 


	2. Almond Blossoms: Nejihina

Author's Note: This one's a slight (very slight)Neji x Hinata. If you're somewhat against that, please skip?

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Hinata was convinced that if Neji-niisan would have been reincarnated as a flower, destiny would have placed him as an almond blossom.

To be more specific, a calm, beautifully perfect white almond blossom, because, frankly speaking, pink wasn't his color.

Neji was an almond blossom, because, even though the almond tree was known for giving almonds laden with bitterness…it could also give out sweet almonds. Very rarely, that's true, but Hinata had been there when her almond tree had borne them.

She gave some to Neji-niisan, too. That was one of the few times that she'd seen him smile.

How could she know almonds were his favorite?

Hinata recalled that, along with sunflower oil, almond oil was one of the many healing carrier oil medicines that she'd usen. As carrier oils, they activated the useful essences of her main oils to create true effect.

She knew that the almond tree was considered sacred by some cultures; that the dual nature of an almond tree, sweet and bitter, nourishing and poisonous, was admired and wondered upon.

In one culture, she knew it was a symbol of enduring sadness.

She also vaguely remembered that according to folklore, the almond tree was supposed to be poisonous to mischievious foxes who hoped to beguile innocent young maidens…

Not that she could tie that in to Neji-niisan in any way.

But she had asked Ino what the almond blossom was supposed to symbolize.

_"It's an important step for the tree to grow blossoms," Ino had explained. "It's a symbol that the tree has blossomed into hope, and it's also a symbol of watchfulness._

Hinata had laughed then, had found Neji and had told him it was strange that the almond blossom fit him so well.

"Why?" he had asked.

"Because you watch over me, no matter what. And...because you've blossomed into the hope of our clan. Of the other branch members."

"Oh."

* * *

Author's Note: So...Naruto and Neji down...7 more to go... 

Please review with suggestions or at least one-word comments!


	3. Holly: Shikahina

Author's Note: This is Shikamaru x Hinata...I fixed the last two sentences of 'Almond Blossoms' so it's not as creepy anymore...

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Hinata loved flowers, and, subsequently, loved the Yamanaka flower shop. She liked to talk to Ino about flowers, and, occasionally, she saw Shikamaru, one of Ino's teammates, drop in now and again.

Hinata rarely thought about it, but the person whom she most respected when it came to intelligence out of her old classmates would have to be Shikamaru. It didn't have anything to do with the growing rumors about his IQ; she'd known Shikamaru had been talented long before then. Perhaps she'd noticed before everyone else because she herself knew what it was like, to be overlooked for someone showier, who simply displayed their talents more publicly and thus got the better rep.

Shikamaru was the holly, she decided.

A winter flower, a flower that she herself could relate to. The holly was born in a breezy, inactive season. Knowing how to live in winter was to know how to wait out the cold, plan ahead. Shikamaru could do that.

The holly appeared to start out a lethargic white, but deepened to an intense red as time progressed. Even though everyone recognized Shikamaru as the lazy genius, Hinata knew that, somewhere deep down, Shikamaru was truly intense in his feelings, especially when it came to his teammates.

Not everyone had the patience to tolerate Shikamaru's personality; even though Ino and him were teammates and friends, Ino often blew up because of his laidback personality (sometimes even in front of Hinata at the shop). Holly was the same way; it was mildly toxic to humans. It was, however, an important source of food for some species of birds. It was the shelter where birds took shelter during the winter. Hinata smiled to herself. Wasn't she, as a Hyuuga, compared to a bird?

One of the resources the holly tree provided was its wood. Strong and heavy, it was used to create white chess pieces. Ironic, considering Shikamaru's love for such strategic games, though he preferred Shogi.

On one of her many visits to the Yamanaka flower shop, she noticed Shikamaru's presence and asked Ino what holly symbolized.

_"Foresight, of course," Ino had replied rather confusedly._

"Shikamaru…you remind me of the holly," Hinata had immediately told the idle genius standing next to Ino.

And, while Ino looked completely baffled, Shikamaru gave a lazy nod, troublesome smile on his face.

He understood.

* * *

3 down, 6 to go! Either Kiba-kun or Sasuke are up next! 


	4. Thyme: Kibahina

Author's Note: Um...this is a Kiba x Hinata. I know the Sasuke chapter was requested first, but this seemed easier to write.

* * *

There wasn't ever really a question about it: Kiba-kun was wild thyme.

For one thing, there were over 350 different species of thyme, but only one wild thyme. There could have been 350 Konoha shinobi, or even teammates, for that matter, but there would only be one Kiba.

The wild thyme's leaves were remarkable, Hinata knew, because they were evergreen. Unlike most other plants, the wild thyme would remain throughout the seasons. She recalled that the wild thyme was one of the few plants that she had seen present during her birthday in the bleak December. And Kiba-kun always showed up.

Wild thyme grew in droughty, rocky soils where other flowers didn't. And while some people might think of it as a rough flower because of that, Hinata knew something they didn't.

Wild thyme was an important nectar source for honeybees nearby. For a honeybee that hadn't ever seen a "true flower" in its life, thyme was life itself.

She liked to think that she could turn to Kiba even if the "real flower" showed up in her own life. Because, honestly speaking, what was a real flower, anyway?

In ancient times, people often placed thyme under their pillows to aid sleep and ward off nightmares. Kiba-kun was always there when Hinata needed to talk about hers.

"Ino-chan," Hinata had asked one day, "does thyme represent anything?"

_"Of course, but not a lot of people ask about it…I think, if I remember correctly, thyme symbolizes…um…oh, it's courage and action. Maidens used to give it to their knights to thank them for their courage."_

Hinata had run out then, and gotten thyme from her own garden. And, right after finding it, she went and found Kiba-kun.

"Here, Kiba-kun," she had smiled, offering it to him.

"Um…thyme? Hey, thanks, Hinata!" Kiba gave a confused, albeit very happy smile.

_For always sticking up for me_, Hinata had thought.

* * *

Author's Note: Okay, the next one will DEFINITELY be Sasuke x Hinata. Sigh. But I'm having a bit of trouble writing it, so feedback would be appreciated: 

Which seems more like Sasuke: a carnation, rose, black poplar, or maple? Also open to individual suggestions! Um...or if you don't care about it, please review this chapter?


	5. Roses: Sasuhina

Author's Note: As promised, a Sasuke x Hinata. Although, come to think of it, it's more of a friendship thing...

* * *

Hinata didn't like comparing Sasuke.

For one thing, the Uchiha had already been compared to over a million things in his lifetime, from a cute little button when he was younger to a ravishingly handsome youthful avenger by Lee just yesterday. Besides, one look at Sasuke could tell you what he was.

Uchiha Sasuke was fated, in this world and the next, to always be a rose.

Hinata didn't tell anyone this. Heaven knew that the other village girls would agree with her. _But not for the right reasons_.

Yes, Sasuke was a rose because he was breathtakingly beautiful. Yes, both had extreme pride, and yes, the traditional rose was blood-red, just like Sasuke's Sharingan. _But as a gardener, Hinata could see more._

For example, the rose's fruit, a rose hip. Hinata knew that, originally, roses had open-faced petals, and produced rose hips for any bee that came nearby. But slowly, the rose petals closed so tightly that they no longer showed their inside to any passerby.

And people grew used to seeing the rose with its petals curled inwards, and kept on calling it beautiful.

Hinata's roses still kept their petals open. She gave them enough freedom to.

And there was the question of thorns. All that the other girls ever wanted was to clip Sasuke's thorns. But then again, all that they really cared about were the petals. Hinata knew better.

There were two reasons that the roses had thorns. One was to use the thorns as hooks. To help them hang on, to keep them on top of the other flowers that they had always grown over. She understood Sasuke's need to stay at the top. He was the Uchiha prodigy, just as she wanted desperately to be a proper Hyuuga heir.

The other reason the rose had thorns was to protect its roots.

Hinata understood at least that about Sasuke.

The last reason she certainly knew that Sasuke was a rose was because, in ancient times, generals used to place a single rose in front of their doors. It meant that they desired privacy, silence, to think to themselves and create a war plan. The rose was a symbol of silence.

But even though she knew he was a rose, his color evaded her. She knew it was a dark color, somewhere in the blues and purples. Maybe even black.

_A black rose symbolizes slavish devotion to a goal_, Ino had told her. Seeing the frightened look on Hinata's face, she had quickly finished explaining. _But a black rose is impossible to produce. It's merely a white rose, dyed black._

She hoped Sasuke hadn't dyed himself fully black yet.

_A blue rose symbolizes mystery,_ Ino had also told her. It made sense.

Then Hinata asked her about the purple rose, the rose she always thought that Sasuke had most resembled.

_Huh, that? It symbolizes protection. A potential guardian figure, actually. It can symbolize a father and a mother, actually, kind of a family thing. Why?_

Sasuke had been very surprised, to say the least, when Hinata had given him a purple rose for his birthday.

* * *

Author's Note: I'm not really good at comparing this Avenger to a flower, I suppose. I think I might rewrite this chapter with a different flower (perhaps a hydrangea, thanks to **Wolf Demon Kunoichi13**). Still...please give any suggestions you have on possible flowers or just leave a review (at least a one-word reply, please?) 

Um...just Gaara, Shino, Lee, and Choji of the original nine left (vacant stare). I think I might add chapters on Haku, Deidara, Sasori, or Sai...if you guys can give me some info on their personalities, because sadly, I'm not that much of an expert on them...


	6. Lotus: Hakuhina

Author's Note: Oh, I forgot to mention last chapter, but kudos to **NDestiny15** for being the first to suggest that Sasuke be a rose...and this chapter's characters are pretty much due to **ToraHoshiWarai**.

Um…this is a Haku x Hinata (see the end of the chapter for why it's not a Gaara x Hinata, I'm too ashamed to say it right now...)

This is a Haku x Hinata, but I guess the only way for that to happen is if Haku isn't really dead…so yeah, consider this my way of saying 'this one's an AU'.

* * *

Hinata would always remember Haku as a lotus. 

For one thing, he looked like a lotus, pale and soft, harboring an unrivalled strength beneath the water's surface.

No matter who the person, friend or foe, everyone recognized the lotus as an extraordinary flower indeed.

Most flowers were fortunate enough to have roots in the firm soil, in the rich earth. Many people took their family past for granted, Hinata had realized.

The lotus was special in that it had weak roots, in the unstable soil beneath the water. Hinata knew all too well what it meant to Haku to have the kind of family past he did.

But the lotus clung to the few roots it had formed with a fierce tenacity that other flowers didn't. And it formed strong new roots too.

As a flower, the lotus' life was infinitely useful. It was used to nourish people and to heal them in countless ways.

But the lotus went beyond the measly role of other flowers. Its life showed something pure to the point of divinity; the lotus was regarded as sacred to many cultures. Hinata admired how Haku mirrored the lotus in every way; how out of such tainted roots, such a beautiful flower had grown.

"_One who performs his duty without greed…is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water._"

Haku hadn't changed…he didn't understand about selfishness. Hinata knew the feeling of aloneness that he had gone through, for possessing a kekkei genkai, bloodline limit, in the wrong place. But he hadn't succumbed to the blind hate and cruelty of the Water Nation…

Hinata wished she could be that kind of person, for the sake of her clan.

But Haku wasn't just a lotus.

He was a _white_ lotus.

Red lotuses were considered sacred, and were purposely bred in royal, scholarly, and priests' homes. White lotuses were rarer, a happy accident.

She had gone to the Yamanaka shop, hoping to talk to Ino.

"Ino-chan, what does a white lotus represent?"

_"It means innocence, purity of the heart, Haku-san."_

Hinata had stared, amazed, as Haku thanked Ino for telling him. He'd turned around, wearing that gentle smile of his, and told her she reminded him of a white lotus.

And she had blushed.

* * *

Author's Note: I HAVE A REASON for why this is a Haku x Hinata and not a Gaara chapter! And here it is: (sigh) I'm having trouble coming up with a flower for Gaara. That, and, I needed to test out one of the newer characters to see if I got their personalities right. (Thanks to **I like angst** for the Haku info.) Um, if there are any suggestions for Gaara's flower (or other guys' flowers)...PLEASE HELP! And if you know squat about flowers, please review! 


	7. Cactus: Gaarahina

Author's Note: I still have no idea what kind of flower Gaara should be! And yet…this is a Gaara chapter! Yes, apparently, three reviewers came to my rescue! I'd like to thank **Topaz Fox, masaki1, **and **Yuume Li** for contributing their awesome suggestions (and **Athame Kunoichi** who was kind enough to think ahead and suggest a flower for Shino.)

And the thing is…there were two flowers suggested for Gaara. And of course, I couldn't exactly _pick_, so…consider the relatively slow update for Gaara repaid with this: I'm adding two chapters for him! Heh heh…

…and furthermore (Yeah, I know, really long and pointless author's note), if any of you enjoyed reading _Zinnia_, there's another flower fic on _Passiflora_, by **Yuume Li**, has Hinata and her flower on the first chapter! It's really GOOD, and I recommend it! (Not that my recommendation means anything at this point…) But still, read it! And because she was nice enough to ask for my permission before writing it and write the first chapter on one of my favorite characters, I'm **dedicating** this chapter to her! (Ha, I dedicated a chapter to you first, Yuume Li!)

And now, the long-awaited (or at least long-stalled) Gaara chapters!

---------------------------------------------(ruler still not working)--------------------------------------------

Hinata was meek. And shy, really. She kept to herself among her fellow shinobi, or even her clan, for that matter. She stuck to a small circle of familiar faces. _But it was different when she was around flowers._

And, to be perfectly honest, she was lately intrigued with tending to the latest addition to her collection.

A cactus.

Shikamaru had given it to her. Apparently, it was a gift from Temari that the lazy genius had been too lazy to take care of. Or perhaps she had given him others. Either case, Hinata was happy with her new flower.

It was prickly to be sure, and Hinata couldn't touch it and croon over it as easily as all her other plants, but she liked it anyway.

And then the three siblings from the Sand had shown up in Konoha for a visit, and she had noticed something.

Gaara was thoroughly a cactus.

Well, to be more specific, a lone crimson hedgehog cactus, like the one she possessed. It was rare for it to grow alone.

It was the first flower to bloom in the desert, quicker to face the loneliness and despair of the desert, born in the rocky outcroppings of it. Gaara above all people knew what loneliness meant. Hinata knew too.

And then, of course, there were the famous spines. A cactus wouldn't be a cactus, people insisted, if it didn't have spines. But the reason a cactus had spines was different than why other flowers had thorns.

A cactus wasn't like a rose, thorny because of arrogance, wanting to stay isolated. Because deep down, Hinata knew that the cactus didn't want to be isolated at all. But its spines were there anyway, to be able to gather a few drops of water, to survive in the harsh desert.

Gaara's murderous façade was there, simply because that was the way it was, the way he gathered a few drops of life, growing in the empty solitude that was his home.

Hinata didn't even want to think about the horror of assassination attempts, all because of the misfortune of possessing something you didn't ask for in the first place. She'd been there, if only once, and knew the helplessness, the despair. The _leave me alone, I didn't ask for this._ The _leave me alone, you'll only get hurt._

The power of the Hyuuga clan and the Shukaku was not to be taken lightly.

But then, the cactus gathered water like no one else could. And when anybody needed it, if they overlooked the thorns, the inner part of the cactus, the vulnerable, hidden part of it, gave them water. Because the inner part of it, the part that wasn't on the outside, or easy to see, was different. Life-giving. It kept people alive, ironically, the way other, prettier plants couldn't. Hinata was sure before anyone else in the village that Gaara would make a good Kazekage.

The crimson hedgehog cactus remained open all during the night. And while that recalled to mind an all too well-known physical feature of Gaara's, Hinata thought of another thing.

The crimson hedgehog cactus' petals remained open both during the intense heat of the day and the inhuman cold of the night. Alone.

No one should ever be alone.

And at the village party that was thrown for the three siblings from the Sand, he _was_ alone. Because, Hinata thought, Naruto was away on a mission, and his siblings had abandoned him to talk to other people.

So she did something completely out of character for her.

She walked up to him and smiled. "H-hello."

Well, take away the stutter and it was almost out of character.

Gaara blinked at her. "Hi."

And to be perfectly honest, no matter how different a person she was around flowers, she was still meek and shy among people. So it was almost expected when Hinata blushed.

"Um…how many f-flowers do you have in Suna?"

"Not many. The land's not very suitable for them."

"Oh. I have one of your flowers. S-Suna's flowers, I mean. A crimson hedgehog cactus."

"…A cactus isn't a flower."

"Y-yes it is. M-maybe you h-haven't seen it flower in Suna…b-but my garden's different."

"How so?"

"T-the c-cactus gets water everyday. It has just enough light and not too much heat or cold. A-and…it's not lonely anymore."

"So it blooms? What's it look like?"

"It's a deep, deep red-"

"…the color of blood."

"Y-yes. The color of blood." Because no matter what, blood would always remain with the two. Hinata knew better than to ignore that fact. "B-but…even though it's the c-color of b-blood…it's beautiful."

And if Hinata didn't know better, she could have sworn the Kazekage had smiled.

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Author's Note: Extra long because of its tardiness! Apparently, the camp I went to had no usable computers...well, not for personal use, anyway. Um. I'll post the next chapter soon. (I mean it this time!)

Any kind of review appreciated!


	8. Heather: Shinohina

Author's Note: Um…I know I promised a quick Gaara update…but that was before I remembered that school started on Monday. (smacks self on forehead for lying) A-also, um…the Gaara update's not here. It's in my new flower-story collection, Jonquil.

Um…the reason is…the format of the chapter wasn't really like Zinnia, so…anyway. If you wanted the new Gaara chapter, I hate to bother you, but please look on 'Jonquil' instead. Sorry about that.

This chapter's Shino x Hinata. Because, frankly speaking, I don't think I have any creativity left in me after a whole week of school to write too much of a crack pairing…

------(pretend this is a page break/ruler, because I can't exactly pretend the ruler tool is working.)------

Hinata was a very good person when it came to listening to other people's words.

_"I'm sure you're right about flea collars being the bane of existence, Kiba-kun."_

_"Ino-chan, I'm very glad you told me about all fifty-two possible ways to harmoniously arrange those flowers."_

_"O-of c-course I'd love to hear your t-top one h-hundred reasons for l-lo-loving ramen, Naruto-kun."_

But she was even better when it came to listening to other people's silence. Perhaps that was why she and Shino were such good teammates. And, perhaps, why she was so happy in the silence of her garden.

And, really, she couldn't think of a better comparison to Shino than the heather in her garden.

The heather was beautiful in its simplicity, silent in its splendor. Not as loud and vibrant as the other flowers, the heather was a deep color, like red, or paler ones, like lavender. Faint and intense at the same time, Shino had no need to draw attention like their classmates.

Words weren't necessary, when you watched the heather grow.

Heather was yet another rare evergreen, keeping its leaves during the winter. But it was an extraordinary rare evergreen, because it kept its flowers too. And yes, the flowers of the heather turned a drab brown, and it hardly looked like a flower, to the regular passerby.

But Hinata saw the heather every day, and it was encouraging to see the buds of the heather every winter of her life, alive and growing, hopeful in its own practical, reliable way. Because out of all the people in her life, she knew that Shino was the one that believed in her the most. And even though she liked hothouse flowers (1), she liked heather the best.

Tenacity was the thing she admired the most, because she knew how hard it was to keep it up.

Hinata had harbored the thought of Shino and heather in her mind for a while before asking Ino what heather meant.

It meant admiration, beauty, solitude.

All of which, in their own right, she associated with a lot of people, but mostly Shino. Out of their group, Kiba was the unforgettable petals, and she was the tidy little stem. Shino was the root, the firmness and support when everything went wrong (as it was apt to do in her generation), and the hidden, vaguer part of the plant.

Nobody walking by could ever see the root of a plant. The plant itself, however, knew exactly how important its roots were.

And everyone knew that Shino was the very symbol of solitude. He was alone in a way that no loner in the other groups were, quiet to the point of mystery, showing very little of a recognizable flower.

There were times that the heather merged with the landscape so closely that people forgot it was a flower.

But when the springtime came, and the heather bloomed for awhile, everyone realized with a start that hey! It was a flower after all.

And Shino bloomed white. White for its complete wholeness, its satisfying entirety. Everyone thought of white as the lack of color, when in reality, all the colors the other flowers possessed were just fragments of white.

Hinata knew through her own experience that words didn't measure the personality of the individual. Shino didn't brag. He didn't taunt, and he didn't utter a catchphrase. During his battles, no ravishingly inspirational words poured out of his mouth. But he was reliable, and he was loyal, and there wasn't anybody more committed to the ninja way and their teammates.

"It means protection from danger," Shino told her.

"…what?" Hinata had asked, confused.

"You've been staring at that white heather for more than half an hour. You always ask Yamanaka-san what flowers mean after you stare at them for a while. Well, white heather means protection from danger."

"Oh." And Hinata wasn't too shocked over the fact that Shino had practically uttered an entire paragraph, because she knew that he _did_ talk, when it was necessary.

Protection from danger, fitting. Shino-kun was a very kind teammate, in how he looked out for her. She wasn't impervious to danger when she was with him-they _were_ ninja, after all-but she did feel protected. Shino-kun always let her fight, encouraged her to. Never worried about 'poor little Hinata' when there wasn't reason to. He had confidence in her, and that helped her more than anything else.

"Shino-kun?"

Sunglasses and head tilted towards her, giving her full attention.

"Thanks…"

A brief nod was her answer.

And she was happy.

---------------------(my rather wierd-looking way of ending the story without a ruler.)---------------------

Footnote: (1) A hothouse flower, for anybody who might not know, is any beautiful, vibrant flower (such as a rose or a tulip) that is grown for a bouquet, but that dies away quickly when you take it out of the glasshouse.

Author's Note: Not too good of a job on this one…but…I blame the public education system. And first weeks of school. At this point, I'm grateful I can write anything other than my name, my parent/guardian's name, my grade level, and my favorite color, after writing down said words over 900 this week.

IMPORTANT (!): A few people (including my inner child) want me to do friendship fics for this collection. Mainly, I wanna add the guys that are either too old or too disturbing when viewed as a possible romance for Hinata. The suggestions are mainly Kakashi

…um…review? If only to shock me out of my 'first week' stupor?


	9. Apples: Chojihina

Author's Note: I finally got my nose out of my textbooks and back on the computer…I suck at multitasking…

This chapter's a Choji x Hinata. Mainly because **masaki1** requested the pairing a long time ago…and because none of you were nice enough to request a pairing in your reviews …just kidding. Frankly, I'm still struggling to find a flower for the other ones. I blame my laziness and the idiocy that has rubbed off on me because of attending school with a bunch of completely acceptable, normal, non-crazy people. Sigh.

* * *

Choji was one of the few shinobi in Konoha whom Hinata could really talk to about flowers. He knew all her favorites, she knew all his favorite herbs.

For quite a while, he'd been interested in helping her draw parallels between the friends they had and the flowers they resembled.

"Hey, um…Hinata. Which flower do you think I resemble?" Choji asked casually one day.

"A large apple, of course," Hinata had innocently answered.

Choji's face darkened for a brief second. "I…I didn't think _you'd_ ever be the one to make fun of my size, Hinata," he muttered angrily.

_Huh?_ Hinata had thought. _Wait, no, Choji, you don't understand! _

But Choji had run off.

Truthfully speaking, she hadn't thought that Choji resembled an apple because of his round outward appearance at all.

It was because apples were sedatives. Anybody who ate sweet red apples felt more at peace later on. Choji…Choji was one of the few ninja she could talk to, without worrying about the losses on missions, the risks of shinobi life.

Apples weren't the brightest colored fruits, nor as wonderful or mysterious and strange as the almonds Hinata grew up on, but…she'd always liked their sweetness and their hardy nature. Choji didn't need to be a genius at ninjutsu-he didn't even have to need to try. He was willing to be himself, whatever that meant. Even if it might seem unremarkable to other people…Hinata knew that Choji's personality was appreciated among his friends.

She knew he was an apple...and Ino had agreed with her when she'd asked.

"_Choji? 'Course he is. An apple for serenity and good will, right?"_

Because having a friend with a heart like Choji's was worth a lot in the world Hinata lived in. Apples were always useful in Konoha-large and satisfying during the bleak cold.

"Ch-Choji?" Hinata had asked timidly, after finally catching up with him.

"What?" he snapped.

"A-apples…"

"Huh?" he asked, normal this time, soft in a way that always made Hinata feel better.

"I-I like apples."

A generous person like Choji always forgave his friends.

* * *

Author's Note: Back to short chapters! But anyway, I added two chapters for my two months of laziness. I'm very ashamed of myself…I've pretty much procrastinated in everything other than school…

While my insides get torn up because of inner guilt, please review! Requests for certain characters and/or flowers are also very VERY helpful!


	10. Lilacs: Leehina

Author's Note: Ach! I downloaded this a little later than the Choji chapter…but that's okay…and because I was too lazy to do it on the other chapter, thanks to **Elsie-neechan, AuroraStarPhoenix, Kaos-chan, **and **Athame Kunoichi** (she suggested lilacs for Shino, though…) for their suggestions!

Anyway, this chapter's a Rock Lee chapter! Because weirdoes and non-geniuses are underrated nowadays…

* * *

Lee, more than anybody, was a flower. He was a complex plant, the result of long development. He was unique and remarkable-the sweetest part of a plant.

And really, Hinata'd always thought of him as a lilac.

Preferably pink.

Lee-san had always had a soft spot for pink, she thought with a small smile.

A pink lilac was a contradiction. A mistake in the system, something gone wrong. Lilacs were meant to be…well, _lilac_. Pale shades of purple, a definition of the lilac flower in itself. Pink just didn't fit in the typical person's mind.

Neither did an overdramatic ninja who could only do taijutsu, nor a weak heiress to the Hyuga clan.

The thing about the pink lilac was that, despite its color, it was willing to blossom. It held its head up high among the beautiful purple lilacs-not because of natural arrogance, but because of practiced confidence. Like Lee.

Lee wasn't the typical definition of a successful Konoha ninja. After almost a lifetime of training, he still lacked any ability to perform genjutsu and ninjutsu. He failed to uphold the majority of shinobi rules (especially #25: never show emotion under any circumstances.) He wasn't a respected genius the way Neji and Sasuke were-but that was okay.

He was strong in his own way-strong from all the bruises, broken bones, and wounds he'd received, strong in a way Hinata wished she was. Even if he didn't have a calm heart the way a shinobi was supposed to…he had a strong heart. Lilacs grew in clumps and bushes instead of the expected roots and stems of ordinary flowers.

Lilacs didn't have regular leaves. Their leaves weren't the usual round, nor extraordinarily intricate. But she liked lilac leaves.

They were heart-shaped.

After seeing his sentimental displaces and amusingly old-fashioned speeches, it was easy to forget how unusual Lee's heart was.

Underneath the clichéd words, Hinata knew what it all meant.

Lee's mind was heart-shaped too.

Ino had told Hinata what lilacs meant.

"_Lilacs symbolize first love. We're in the lilac part of our lives, neh_?"

And while it suited Lee well, it occurred to Hinata later that Ino-chan was probably referring to purple lilacs. So she asked again.

"_Well, white lilacs are sometimes sent to the shop. They represent youthful innocence."_

Another description that suited Lee. And yet-

"What do pink lilacs mean, Ino-chan?" Hinata asked curiously.

"_Pink? Um…they represent…ah! They're the symbol of youth…and acceptance._"

Lee had had so many problems and obstacles…that he easily accepted others' weaknesses. He understood what Hinata had felt, not being a genius.

"Ah! Hinata! Glad to see you on this most noble day! Tell me, how are you making the most of your blessed youthfulness today?"

It was a very clichéd greeting…but somehow Lee's genuine smile made it seem much more real.

"Hinata! What a most beautiful flower! I myself usually prefer the wondrous cherry blossoms, but…this flower is unusually delightful!"

Hinata merely nodded and placed the sprig of pink lilacs in Lee's hands, smile on both of their faces.

* * *

Author's Note: There! A chapter for each month! And…that marks the ending of the first part of Zinnia! (I'm skipping any possible chapters for the Akatsuki for right now, though I'll probably get to it later on. Gotta conduct more research first…) Which means…it's now time for either the friendship chapters or the chapters where the others shed their insight on _Hinata's_ flower! Because I'm too lazy to play 'eenie meenie minie mo' with myself, you guys get to choose which ones I post first!

So please review and tell me!

And if you have no idea what I'm talking about, well…please review anyway!


	11. Zinnia: Part I Epilogue

Author's Note: Heh. This is an epilogue for Part One. (For the record, I'm still planning on writing chapters for the Akatsuki and Kankuro in Part One, but they'll be posted later on…)

In case I didn't say it clearly before, Zinnia's going to have three parts:

Part One (finished for now): Hinata's flowers for the boys

Part Two: Friendship Chapters (Hinata's flowers for her senseis and for kunoichi)

Part Three: Hinata Chapters (what flower the boys think Hinata is)

The thing about it is, I don't know whether to post Part Two or Three up first, so please review and tell me which you'd like me to write first (thanks to **Elsie-neechan** and **Crystal Inferno** for being the first two to vote!)

Anyway, this is the closest to a pointless chapter as you'll ever get, so only read if you have too much free time on your hands.

* * *

Hyuga Hinata loved flowers. She had a flower for every person in her life and every place. Her life in Konoha-the people in it-were very much…like a zinnia.

Zinnias were beautiful-but then again, what flower wasn't?

There was something tugging at her mind, though, that told Hinata that she'd never want any other flower-any other life. So she didn't lead a life of carnations and elegant flowers the way a Hyuga was supposed to…that was alright. Her father's open acceptance hadn't completely come…and many of the elders still gave her dirty looks…

…but she had her friends and sensei.

People who formed the bright petals of the zinnia. The zinnia's color contrasted with her own pale buds…it gave her strength.

_When you cheered me on, I felt stronger than before…_

_There was this impact on my heart…_

_If I've grown stronger…it's all thanks to you two, because you've worked with me diligently everyday…_

…_Comrade, huh?_

Zinnia seeds all looked the same…but Hinata loved watching them bloom because zinnias could blossom in so many ways. Any color they wanted, they could become. Any shape they chose, they could grow into.

It was the thought of zinnias that came along with her friends' words, that made Hinata feel that she could change…that she _was_ changing.

Zinnias weren't the most beautiful flowers, nor the most amazing ones, nor the sweetest smelling ones. But even though people didn't realize it, they were _special_. And when it was spring, Hinata liked seeing the zinnias more than the other flowers. Because when it was spring for zinnias, butterflies gathered around them. Happy, accepting of them, no matter how mediocre the zinnias appeared. If butterflies could love zinnias that way, Hinata promised herself she could love her life, unpromising as it might appear. Because it was still growing, small, peering out through its petals.

She'd asked Ino what a zinnia meant, of course.

"_Zinnia? Well…exactly what color are you talking about, Hinata?"_

Hinata thought about it. She pictured everyone in her life as a certain shade…so, really, her life's Zinnia, would have to be…

"W-what do zinnias of different colors mean?"

"_Mixed colors, you mean?_

"H-hai."

"_Then they mean 'thinking about friends.' It's an extremely friendship-oriented flower."_

Hinata smiled. That was nice.

Her friends were all important to her, in their own ways…

Thinking about friends, huh? That wasn't such a bad way to pass a lifetime, she thought.

* * *

Author's Note: …after the long author's note in the beginning? I don't think I've got anything else to say…

Oh! I guess I'll update with the Thanksgiving break…although I won't promise anything again… slaps self on forehead for lying before

Again, please vote on which part I should update first, seeing as I don't feel comfortable choosing…

And if you read this chapter, yay you! You now know the reason for the fic's title!

Any kind of review (as is obvious by the past chapter's ending author's notes) is appreciated!


	12. Sweetbriar: Hiashi

Author's Note: …yeah. I have an announcement to make. The voting on-line was actually 4 for Part 2 and 4 for Part 3…but my off-line friend voted for Part 2…which means no tie…yay! And on another note, I apologize yet again to **masaki1** for…well, I apologize (sorry!)

Oh, and now that my conscience is clear, this is Hiashi's chapter. Because, of course, there is no greater influence on Hinata's personality than her own father.

* * *

Hinata didn't think of her daddy as 'Father' until Hanabi was born. _It's time to start acting like a proper heir to the Hyuga…and not like a baby, Hinata. You have a sister now._

She didn't think of her father as 'Otou-sama' until her mother died. _Stop crying! It's not befitting a Hyuga. She wasn't only your mother, she was the female head of the clan. Know your place as a clan member above all. _

She didn't think of Otou-sama as a flower until they both had tea with Neji-niisan. And then she couldn't help but think-think wasn't really a good word, though-couldn't help but _feel_, for no apparent reason, that Otou-sama was a sweetbrier.

Sweetbrier had many different names: rose brier, brier rose, dogberry, wild brier, witches' brier, brier hip, and dog rose. So many names that Hinata really didn't know what to call it-really didn't know how to say the right words about such a beautiful flower. Every time she tried to address the flower, the words wouldn't form in her mouth.

It was because of Otou-sama that Hinata began stuttering.

Sweetbrier was often pink, a soft, loving color. The other girls often found sweetbrier growing in the woods. It was always a beautiful pink.

Hinata had grown up among paler sweetbrier. A flawless white. Perfection in itself, cold and complete. Beautiful in a rigid way, in a way that was scary to a child. Childish hands could never seem to hold brier roses right. Hinata remembered how easily, unknowingly, she'd pricked her finger touching the brier rose's thorns. And Otou-sama had frowned, ordering her out of the garden until she gained a bit more sense.

Sweetbrier wasn't like the other roses, that grew on bushes and along low vines. It grew higher up, resting among trees that were too high for Hinata to reach as a child. So all she could do, really, was look up at the sweetbrier every day.

Ever since she was little, Hinata had wanted to grow…not to be tall enough to perform certain jutsu, nor tall enough to ride the ferris wheel…just tall enough to be able to touch the brier rose.

Hinata was still short. And it was the same with Otou-sama…she still hadn't grown enough.

And she so desperately wanted to reach the sweetbrier. It was beautiful and elegant, the symbol of the distinction of a clan. More than anyone, Otou-sama was a sweetbrier.

"Ino…what does a-a b-briar rose mean?"

"_A briar rose?"_

"S-sweetbriar."

"_Ah. Sweetbriar. Well, it can mean a symbol of decreased love…"_

Hinata held her breath. Oh.

"…_but…the old-fashioned ones…don't mean that at all. Traditionally, they mean 'I wound to heal'. It's really a dumb message, because who in their right mind would hurt someone, to make things better-Hinata?"_

Lo and behold, Hinata had spaced out, with a very small, very happy smile on her face. Maybe...

Maybe the sweetbrier wasn't so far away after all. And if it had thorns...maybe it taught her something. Maybe those thorns were there because they were the briar rose's way of reaching out to her, from the distance it had placed between them.

Maybe, she smiled.

* * *

Author's Note: …eh, me still think Hiashi is a cold-hearted jerk. But not so much, now. He's gotten better, over the episodes. 

So. Part 2 up. And before I forget, I apologize to **clueless01** because this is not a girl chapter. Who the next person/chapter will be is up for votes. Review and I shall thank you.


	13. Furze: Ino

Author's Note: And the story FINALLY gets updated! I feel very irresponsible right now.

And this time it's an Ino chapter. Because Ino was on my mind, and I saw this pretty yellow flower in my textbook…

* * *

Hinata loved stopping by at the Yamanaka flower shop and being surrounded by flowers. Ino was always kind to her when she visited, and the two liked talking to each other in that small shop. 

But the flowers there were cut already, and ready to be sold, and there were hardly any wild ones.

So Hinata loved it when Ino would invite her to take a walk in the forest, and look at and collect the flowers that grew in the nearby regions.

One of the loveliest flowers that she saw, walking with Ino, was furze.

They weren't as gaudy as they were brilliant, nor as pretty as they were outright beautiful.

In short, the clumps of furze that Hinata often saw while walking reminded her very much of Ino.

It wasn't just because of the beautiful petals, either. Furze was a bright shade of yellow, fascinating to watch, but it had long thorns too. A good example of a kunoichi.

But the furze's thorns weren't used just to hurt, the way shinobi did. Furze thorns were long, it was true, but they provided a dense cover that was ideal for protecting bird nests. A good example of Ino.

After all, the thorns would hurt without hesitation, but, over all, they would protect hatchlings. Ino was like that-she was a tough kunoichi from the start, but an even better friend. Both Hinata and Sakura could testify for that.

Furze was admirable in how it adapted to dry growing conditions. It grew in places weaker flowers didn't, and never lost out to the cold or heat. It was beautiful, but it was also strong.

Giving a side-glance towards Ino, Hinata inwardly corrected herself.

The furze was strong, yes, but not the way rocks were. It was a flower, after all. And hurting it wasn't too difficult. Not if you hurt it from the inside, the way Sakura-chan had unknowingly done. The furze was strong, though, in that even when it was hurt-even when its entire body had been burned away-it kept on growing. When in danger, the roots that had been burnt away re-emerged, planting themselves into soil once more.

Because of this willingness to try further and the confidence to bloom with all her might, Ino was Ino. She was strong in that she had herself, and had a heartful of people to grow around.

One more thing about furze. Because it throve in conditions that other plants didn't, and because it grew in poor growing areas, it had a very important purpose:

The furze was widely used to help other flowers establish themselves better. Ino would have probably put it like this: the furze, fully in bloom, had a wish in its heart to see budding flowers blossom.

Ino-chan had the heart of a furze.

And someday, Hinata thought, she, a weak example of a Hyuga, would blossom too, thanks to Ino. But for now…

"Ino-chan?"

"Yeah, Hinata?"

"What does furze mean?"

"That's easy. It means 'our friendship is enduring.' The person who has a lot of furze has a big heart, and never lets go of her friendships no matter what. …Hinata?"

"Hai?"

"Who reminds you of the flower _this _time?" Ino asked curiously.

Hinata smiled. Ino was used to this game of hers by now.

"It's a very nice person. She's a very beautiful friend."

"Who? Is it Kurenai-sensei? But no, that would be more of student-teacher relationship… Or maybe Sakura…but she's not _so_ beautiful... Temari? You hardly know her…"

Not replying, Hinata reached towards the growing furze and snapped a bit off.

"Hanabi? Ten Ten?"

With a grateful smile, Hinata handed the furze to Ino.

"_You_ remind me of furze, Ino-chan."

Ino returned the smile. After all, she knew flower language too.

* * *

A/N: I shall try to update this sooner, but I make no promises (again). Also, I might alternate between Part II and Part III chapters, since I feel scatter-brained at this point of my life now. Again, all reviews (yes, still even one-word ones) are appreciated. Especially when I wrote this chapter with a fever, headache, and runny nose and have no idea whatsoever how it turned out. 


	14. Sage: Iruka

Author's Note: So. Yeah. I finally got around to writing another chapter of Zinnia. Keyword in the sentence is 'finally'. I could give various excuses about why I haven't written in the last four months, but…I'm sure you guys wouldn't want to read about it. So, without further delay: the next Zinnia chapter!

In honor of my horribly bad timing and procrastination habits, I changed the writing style in this chapter. Whether that helps or kills this flower, I have no idea.

I don't know whether I can do this particular chapter justice or not, but I shall try.

* * *

Hinata remembered the first time she compared an adult to a flower. She was in the Academy…about seven years old, actually...

* * *

"Iruka-sensei is really something, huh Hinata-chan?"

She had barely managed a blushing nod before Sakura had interrupted.

"Don't say that! It leaves doubt about Iruka-sensei's nature! Say something like 'Iruka-sensei's kind', or 'Iruka-sensei is sage,' or 'Iruka-sensei is very paternal', or-"

Hinata froze. _Iruka-sensei is sage._

Once again, Sakura was completely and utterly right.

"Iruka-sensei would definitely be sage," Hinata agreed with a smile.

"Huh? What's 'sage' mean again, Shino?" Kiba asked impatiently.

"Wise, I guess. Although…that's not all you're referring to, right, Hinata?"

"…yeah," Hinata murmured.

"Ooh, are you talking about the herb, Hinata? …yeah, I guess that'd make sense," Ino pitched in thoughtfully.

"Herb? Ew, you mean like those smelly plants those medic-nins carry around? Why would Iruka-sensei be one of those?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Baka! I'm sure Hinata has her reasons for picking sage for Iruka-sensei," Sakura spoke.

"Um…I'm sure some herbs might be smelly…but sage isn't. It smells kind of nice…to me, anyway," Hinata voiced.

"Yeah. Sage either has a sort of minty smell, or a slight peppery scent. Either way, it gives food and drink a very calm and peaceful texture," Choji added.

"Kind of how Iruka-sensei always makes our classes happy and peaceful…even if outside, the adults might be going on dangerous and violent missions," Hinata blushed.

"Hinata likes comparing things to plants," Ino explained.

"Wait. If it's plants she's talking about, why doesn't she say something pretty, like a rose, or something? Flowers are much more interesting than herbs anyway," Sakura suggested.

"Herbs are more useful. They can make medicines…and heal wounds…for kids like us who are going to become ninja, herbs are more important than eye-catching flowers," Shino explained.

"…I see. We coulda gotten a cooler sensei, but Iruka is still better at taking care of us," Naruto thought aloud. Hinata happily nodded.

"…sage, huh? The Latin name for it is…'salvia', right?" Shikamaru asked sleepily.

"Yup. Um…what's that mean, anyway?" Hinata questioned shyly.

"It comes from the phrase 'to save'," Sakura answered quickly. Shikamaru couldn't have cared less, seeing as he was already sleeping.

"'To save', huh? I guess it does fit in nicely after all," Ino mused.

"Yeah, Naruto. After all, Iruka-sensei's been taking care of you, ever since you were little, right?"

"Huh? All I know is, he's a lot nicer to me than _you_ are, Sakura-chan!"

In the corner, Hinata gave a tiny, unnoticed sigh.

And, of course, before anything else could be said, Iruka-sensei had entered through the door.

* * *

But…looking back at it…Hinata was happy with the choice that she'd made regarding Iruka-sensei's flower. Shino was right. Sage did mean 'wise'. It was a fitting plant for a teacher as wise as Iruka-sensei. Yes, some of them didn't learn their jutsus well enough, and it was held in doubt whether anybody except Sakura still remembered by heart all the Shinobi rules. But more than a wise instructor, Iruka-sensei was a wise _teacher_. The kind you could talk to when you were a misfit in your clan-the kind you could talk to when you were a misfit in general. Hinata knew that as well as Naruto did.

And Sakura was wrong. Roses were pretty, yeah, but sage also had flowers. It was strange, but sage had a very soothing look as well as smell-it wasn't exotic or anything, but its petals were a calm shade of blue-the kind of blue that people associate with a happy childhood. Hinata doubted anybody in her old class could imagine childhood without Iruka-sensei.

So she gathered them up-yes, meek little Hinata-chan went out of her way to convince her seven classmates (and their sensei's) to go with her idea-and told them her plan. Fortunately for her, they still remembered that old childhood conversation.

And in a nice, orderly group-just like any other group of non-ninja school kids would have done-they went and revisited their old classroom.

Iruka-sensei was still there, of course. The look on his face as eight bunches of sage were dropped on top of his desk was priceless.

"Why-" he began to ask.

"It was Hinata-chan's idea," Naruto grinned. "It's called sage, sensei!"

"It's used to show esteem," Asuma explained.

"And your wisdom, of course," Kurenai said with a smile.

"It's also a symbol of _domestic happiness_," Kakashi stressed slyly.

"Ehh…K-kakashi-sensei!"

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei! You were supposed to tell him the _other_ meaning!" Naruto protested.

"…yes, but mine's more interesting," Kakashi reasoned.

"Urgh. Fine. I'll tell him! Iruka-sensei, Hinata-chan asked Ino, who asked her mom, who said-"

"Naruto, get to the point already!" Sakura snapped.

"Sage means 'we have a wonderful family'. That's why all eight of us gave you sage. D'you get it?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"…yes, Naruto." Iruka answered faintly.

And Hinata smiled along with all her classmates, and sensei.

* * *

Author's Note: Yeah, I know I didn't put Team Guy on there…but I wanted to include just the Rookie 9…and…yeah, I also know I didn't put Sasuke in there…but then…after the flashback, that might have been troublesome…what with Sasuke going AWOL and everything…if any of you guys want me to add those guys…please leave a comment or something in a review…I'll try to add that if anybody wants me to… 

Anyway, this is my 2nd longest chapter…so I hope that kinda made up for how long it took me to post it…and…uh…please review? If only to yell at the horribly irresponsible and unpunctual author?


	15. Carnation: Kurenai

**Author's Note**: Again. Yeah. I'm back, after my regular period of procrastinating. Ashamed again. Sorry.

Anyway, this particular chapter was supposed to be up by Mother's Day. Sadly, I was too busy drowning in my homework at that time. I apologize to **Moffs **for lying and sincerely and utterly hope that she doesn't eat me.

That said, on to the story!

* * *

The word 'sensei' meant a lot in the ninja world. 

At the same time, it meant different things to everyone.

To Sakura-chan, it meant a tough woman that was capable of breaking the mask of the annoyingly sweet and good kunoichi that Sakura always wore to reveal the strong ninja inside.

To Naruto-kun, it meant someone who was loyal in every sense of the word-all of the teachers that Naruto-kun had, Hinata thought-the good ones, anyway-were always _loyal_.

To Lee-kun, it meant having confidence in himself, in not giving up no matter what.

A true sensei, Hinata thought, was someone who _talked_ to you and _believed_ in you and _cared_ about you enough to make you want to become stronger. To actually help you _become_ stronger.

For Hinata, her greatest sensei would always be Kurenai.

And so she thought about it longer than anyone else's flower-the flower that would be just right for Kurenai-sensei.

Hinata finally decided that it would be the carnation.

And once that was decided, there was no question about the color.

Carnations came in lots of different colors: pretty pinks and soft whites, lively light red and dazzling stripes.

The only one that could ever fit Kurenai-sensei was the deep red, the color that Sensei always said was her favorite shade of lipstick.

Deep red was the color of intensity, the color of inner strength.

Hinata had always been grateful for the fact that someone who was as weak as her had gotten someone as strong and resourceful as Kurenai-sensei as a teacher.

Sensei had always frowned and told Hinata to stop talking about herself like that when she did it.

But all things aside, the carnation was perfect for Sensei.

Most people grew carnations inside now, looking at their pretty petals, thinking them weak. But the carnation had strength behind its less-than-strong appearance. It grew with a fierce will, and throve outside in the great big world.

The carnation was tough, growing big, full blooms on its lovely strong, straight stem, beautiful to the point of admiration. More beautiful than the other flowers, Hinata thought, because the carnation could outlive them.

One of the first things that Team 8 had learned from their sensei was that tragic and heroic deaths were the last thing their village demanded from them. Determination-strength to keep going-the important thing, Kurenai had said, was the survival of the team.

That was one of the reasons, Hinata thought, why Shino, Kiba and her were experts at survival along with tracking.

So. Carnation it was. The only thing left to do was ask Ino, for the sake of curiosity, what a carnation meant.

"In general, carnations mean love and gratitude. They show a close bond between people. Do you have any color in particular that you want to know about?" Ino asked good-naturedly once Hinata had asked her.

"U-um, I'd like to hear about all of them, please."

Kurenai-sensei, Hinata trusted, knew a lot about Hinata; a lot more than most of her real family did.

So it made sense, that, a week afterwards, when Team 8 was done training for the day, Kurenai-sensei walked up towards Hinata.

"I woke up today and found flowers on my doorstep," Kurenai-sensei told her with a gleam in her eye.

Hinata nodded and said nothing, tell-tale blush creeping into her cheeks.

"They were carnations, right? Thank you very much, Hinata. Tell Shino and Kiba thanks for me too while you're at it," her teacher continued with a smile.

Hinata smiled back guiltily.

A standard red carnation (_admiration_) had been pretty easy for them to buy.

Pink too (_for a mother or a person you'll never forget_), was quickly found at the corner of the park, even _if_ Kiba had gotten in trouble for digging up plants _again_.

What had been difficult to find was the deep red carnation, one a shade red and deep enough to satisfy all three of the teammates.

At the end, they'd had to go deep into the forest (_Byakugan activated, bugs flying around, and Akamaru sniffing out a trail like he'd never sniffed before_), where they found a wild one, never mind the fact that carnations weren't native to Fire Country.

It was worth it, though, Hinata thought, as she saw Kurenai-sensei pull out the deep red carnation from an unvisible pocket.

* * *

**Author's Note**: So…heh heh…did I do the Kurenai-Team 8-but-especially-Hinata relationship justice? Should I jump into a moat for ruining such a beautiful writing prompt? Please review and tell me.

P.S.-I'd like to thank everyone who's reviewed so far, especially the ones who told me they were still waiting for this extremely tardy chapter. I'm very sorry about that. :(


	16. Hydrangea: Saihina

Author's Note: Um, this was originally written for **shortshorty** who requested a Sai x Hinata flower fic. I apologize for the wait.

To **shortshorty: **I read your PM and squealed like a…um, squeal-y squealer. Yeah. Ignore my lame comparison there. Then I followed the link…and squealed some more. It's so pwetty! –entranced by the thought of a Naruto sunflower- :)

Ah, and is it just me, or is there a tremendous lack of Sai x Hinata fics out there? O-O Oh well. If it hadn't been requested, I doubt I'd be self-motivated enough to explore a new pairing either.

I also apologize if Sai seems kinda out of character here, but I don't feel too comfortable writing him…still, I hope you like it. :)

* * *

Hinata thought everyone was a flower, without exception. 

Still, she admitted, she sometimes had no idea _which_ flower certain people were.

It was pretty easy to find flowers for people she'd known all of her life, or flowers for sensei she'd had.

Then there were people that were very hard to figure out or people that she hadn't known all that long.

Sometimes, she thought, there were even people that were both.

Like Sai.

Blushing, she admitted to herself that she might have gone for years not knowing what flower Sai was, had he not acted first.

One day, out of the blue, he'd walked up to her and given her a bunch of flowers.

Before her face could get red, or she could get into a fainting position, or anything else of the sort because of the possible romantic meaning of the moment, he'd walked away just as casually.

It was only later that Hinata noticed just what kind of flower Sai had given her. _Hydrangeas_.

It was decided. Sai was a hydrangea.

Hydrangea were really common in their country. Lots of hydrangea grew just about anywhere, and you could say they all pretty much looked alike. One hydrangea looked just like another, no individuality.

You could say that, of course, but Hinata knew better. The area around Konoha, after all, was famous for its species diversity.

_Even though the flowers looked alike, she knew every single one was drastically different._

Hydrangeas grew in shrubs, bushes. They always blossomed in groups, along with countless other flowers, members of the same tree, but all apart just the same. One flower by itself didn't matter, and if one small flower lost a few of its petals, none of the other flowers cared. It was the group that was important, the bush.

_Ever since she was little, Hinata made sure to pick up the hydrangea petals that had fallen off the bush and place them in her flower-book._

Hinata took careful note of the color of the hydrangeas Sai had given her. Blue.

Hydrangeas were originally supposed to be white, of course, and they were, when they were grown in normal, healthy soil. But when the soil became very acid and unfriendly and harsh, the flowers turned a strange blue because of it.

_Although Hinata had never liked acid soil, she found she didn't mind blue hydrangeas._

After a few days of thinking the flower through, Hinata decided she might as well ask Ino for the meaning.

"Hydrangeas? Ouch. Who was the idiot that gave you that?" Ino frowned.

"Huh? Um, Sai. …is it bad?" Hinata asked timidly.

"Well…it's Sai, so don't mind it too much. Sakura will beat him up plenty without you having to do anything," Ino smiled comfortingly.

Hinata blinked. "What do hydrangeas mean?" she insisted softly.

"Heartlessness. Missing emotions," Ino explained somewhat apologetically.

Hinata found Sai rather easily that day.

With a smile, she placed a single one of the hydrangeas that he'd given her into his hand. Ripped.

Sai's face went completely blank as he glanced at it.

After a second or two, he looked up at Hinata and gave her a small, awkward smile.

_A real smile._

There were two parts to the hydrangea flower. The first part was the one that everyone noticed. The part they thought was the entire flower. The large one, impossible to miss, the label.

_That part, Hinata knew since childhood, was fake. Just for show, not worth anything_.

When she first saw Sai smiling at Naruto during one of their earlier missions, Hinata had decided he wasn't a very likeable person.

But then there was another part to the hydrangea flower. A small part, very deep inside the larger part. The part that everyone's eyes skimmed over. The fragile, almost invisible part of the flower.

_The part that was fertile. Alive._

A while after Naruto's team had come back from _that_ mission and she saw Sai give what she could only describe as a silly-looking attempt of a smile, Hinata knew she'd changed her mind about how she felt about Sai.

The small part of the flower (the heart) was the part she'd pressed into Sai's hand.

By the look on his face, Hinata was sure he'd understood.

_Hydrangeas meant cruel, heartless._

Sai was a hydrangea.

_But hydrangeas said something else, in flower language…_

_Thank you for understanding._

* * *

Author's Note: Yay! I managed to write it after all! I should note, I always planned on the Sai flower being a 'hydrangea'…it just went through four or five rough drafts before it came out this way. Although it's a little short and written kind of weird, there was a lot of thought put into this and I hope you guys like it. 

Ah, and thanks again to **shortshorty**. She drew art for the first chapter of Zinnia (which I forgot to mention at the beginning of the story.) It's a really cool picture of a Naruto sunflower…growing out of a special cup…I don't really know how else to explain it. Anyway, here's the link for you curious folk:

http:// shortshorty. deviantart. com / art / Naruto-Sunflower-63210384

(Take out spaces, of course.)

Again, thanks for reading. :) Want a less obscure character next time? Please review me with character requests…since it takes me ages to pick them myself…


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